Cost of living comparison
Laos is 76.5% more expensive than Vietnam overall.
- Restaurants
-
pay 18.3% more in Laos
- Groceries
-
pay 50.1% more in Laos
- Transportation
-
pay 2.9 times more in Laos
- Housing
-
pay 2.4 times more in Laos
- Childcare
-
pay 7.5% more in Laos
- Entertainment and Sports
-
pay 51.6% more in Laos
- Clothing
-
pay 74.5% more in Laos
The cost of transportation, housing, clothing, entertainment and sports, groceries, and restaurants in Laos are more expensive than in Vietnam. Notably, transportation and housing are significantly more expensive in Laos.
If you lived in Laos instead of Vietnam, you would:
pay 18.3% more for restaurants
|
Vietnam
|
Laos
|
||
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic meal with drink at inexpensive restaurant |
$1.92
₫49,931
|
$1.90
LAK41,153
|
|
|
Fast food combo meal
McDonalds, or similar
|
$4.34
₫112,872
|
$4.20
LAK91,204
|
|
| Bottle of Coca-Cola (11 fl. oz) |
$0.54
₫14,005
|
$0.69
LAK14,976
|
|
| Bottle of water (11 fl. oz) |
$0.33
₫8,456
|
$0.49
LAK10,533
|
|
pay 50.1% more for groceries
|
Vietnam
|
Laos
|
||
|---|---|---|---|
|
Bread
1 loaf
|
$0.90
₫23,467
|
$1.00
LAK21,743
|
|
| Local cheese (8 oz) |
$6.05
₫157,432
|
$13.03
LAK282,676
|
|
| Milk (1 gallon) |
$5.46
₫142,021
|
$6.40
LAK138,838
|
|
|
Eggs
1 dozen
|
$1.46
₫37,981
|
$2.06
LAK44,790
|
|
| Boneless chicken breast (1 lb) |
$1.55
₫40,229
|
$2.07
LAK44,904
|
|
| Apples (1 lb) |
$1.20
₫31,146
|
$0.75
LAK16,162
|
|
| Bananas (1 lb) |
$0.43
₫11,081
|
$0.74
LAK16,091
|
|
| Oranges (1 lb) |
$0.57
₫14,830
|
$0.96
LAK20,766
|
|
| Tomatoes (1 lb) |
$0.45
₫11,613
|
$1.29
LAK27,965
|
|
| Potatoes (1 lb) |
$0.48
₫12,377
|
$0.70
LAK15,077
|
|
| Onions (1 lb) |
$0.48
₫12,536
|
$0.45
LAK9,806
|
|
pay 2.9 times more for transportation
|
Vietnam
|
Laos
|
||
|---|---|---|---|
| Gasoline (1 gallon) |
$3.47
₫90,171
|
$4.61
LAK99,900
|
|
| Monthly public transit pass |
$7.11
₫184,840
|
$53.85
LAK1,168,120
|
|
| New Volkswagen Golf 1.4 (standard edition) |
$35,423.92
₫921,198,926
|
$28,167.89
LAK610,992,535
|
|
| Taxi trip in downtown area (5 miles) |
$5.64
₫146,722
|
$10.57
LAK229,352
|
|
pay 2.4 times more for housing
|
Vietnam
|
Laos
|
||
|---|---|---|---|
|
Internet connection
50 mbps or faster, cable/dsl
|
$8.68
₫225,808
|
$8.98
LAK194,862
|
|
| 1-Bedroom apartment in downtown area |
$297.09
₫7,725,803
|
$993.83
LAK21,557,222
|
|
| 1-Bedroom apartment outside city center |
$207.27
₫5,390,040
|
$809.30
LAK17,554,686
|
|
|
Utilities for two
(700 sq ft apartment)
including electric, gas, water, heating
|
$39.91
₫1,037,892
|
$58.85
LAK1,276,424
|
|
pay 7.5% more for childcare
|
Vietnam
|
Laos
|
||
|---|---|---|---|
| Private preschool for 1 child, monthly |
$205.27
₫5,337,948
|
$291.32
LAK6,319,151
|
|
| Middle school for 1 child, two semesters |
$12,496.31
₫324,966,473
|
$9,140.14
LAK198,259,792
|
|
pay 51.6% more for entertainment and sports
|
Vietnam
|
Laos
|
||
|---|---|---|---|
| Domestic/local beer (1 pint) |
$0.88
₫22,790
|
$1.11
LAK23,989
|
|
| Cappuccino in mid-range area |
$1.58
₫41,095
|
$1.62
LAK35,118
|
|
|
Pack of cigarettes
Marlboro or similar
|
$1.27
₫32,916
|
$1.78
LAK38,705
|
|
| Monthly membership at local gym |
$22.09
₫574,457
|
$66.31
LAK1,438,376
|
|
| Movie ticket to theater/cinema |
$3.38
₫87,850
|
$2.97
LAK64,465
|
|
pay 74.5% more for clothing
|
Vietnam
|
Laos
|
||
|---|---|---|---|
|
Regular jeans
Levi's brand
|
$28.00
₫728,064
|
$78.60
LAK1,704,883
|
|
|
Regular dress
from H&M or similar store
|
$22.19
₫577,147
|
$61.45
LAK1,332,857
|
|
|
Running shoes
Nike or Adidas
|
$79.50
₫2,067,274
|
$65.22
LAK1,414,681
|
|
| Men's business shoes (leather) |
$79.86
₫2,076,699
|
$46.67
LAK1,012,324
|
|
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